Archive for July 2015

2015 Haskell Invitational Preview

This year’s edition of the Haskell boasts a $1,750,000 purse, up from $1,000,000 last year, as well as a Win And You’re In bid into the Breeders’ Cup Classic.  The purse increase was announced just Wednesday afternoon, less than twenty-four hours after the entry box closed.  The gambit to find runners willing to take on... Read more »
By Nicolle Neulist,
July 30, 2015 at 8:37 pm
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2015 Addison Cammack & Isaac Murphy Handicap Preview

After a week off from the Arlington summer stakes campaign (due to scant nominees), the northwest suburban oval kicks off August and its second month of stakes with a pair of stakes on its card.  Illinois-bred sprinters are the focus in a pair of stakes with purses of $50,000-added.  For the open group, there is... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
July 30, 2015 at 8:32 pm
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2015 Vanderbilt Handicap Day Stakes Preview

Horse racing’s summer season kicks into high gear this weekend.  Of course, the summer season includes Saratoga Race Course and Picks & Ponderings in this space looks at the stakes quartet carded for the first of August, headlined by the Grade One Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap.  The undercard includes the Grade Two Jim Dandy Stakes... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
July 29, 2015 at 11:45 pm
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2015 Bing Crosby Stakes & CCA Oaks Preview

On the East Coast, Saratoga is the August place to be. On the West Coast, it’s Del Mar.  Both these destination meets serve as the focus of weekend coverage for the last weekend of July at Picks and Ponderings.  They may each be the August Places to Be, but to horseplayers they are the one... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
July 23, 2015 at 8:43 pm
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2015 Diana and Sanford Stakes Preview

We are up to the point in the summer when the Big Summer Destination Meets are getting underway.  Last weekend, Del Mar got off and running.  This Friday, Saratoga opens.  Saturday’s card at the Spa features the first Grade I of the meet, the Diana Stakes .  That race, for turf route fillies and mares,... Read more »
By Nicolle Neulist,
July 22, 2015 at 11:28 pm
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Michael Tomlinson returns to the Arlington winners' circle with Midnight Cello

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS — “It feels great to be back,” said trainer Michael Tomlinson after MIDNIGHT CELLO won today’s Grade III Hanshin Cup. It had been nine years since trainer Tomlinson had won a stakes at Arlington Park.  Casino Evil, the one-eyed colt with the tongue-in-cheek name, won the listed Round Table Stakes at Arlington in... Read more »
By Nicolle Neulist,
July 18, 2015 at 9:18 pm
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2015 Indiana Derby and Indiana Oaks Preview

This Saturday night, Indiana Grand has its flagship night of racing.  The card features its only two graded stakes races of the meet: the Indiana Oaks (GII) and the Indiana Derby (GII).  Both races were inaugurated in 1995 at Hoosier Park, and moved to Indiana Grand in 2013 when owners Centaur Gaming centralized thoroughbred and... Read more »
By Nicolle Neulist,
July 16, 2015 at 8:31 am
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2015 Hanshin Cup Preview

This weekend, Picks & Ponderings stays in the Midwest for a majority of its previews.  Among this week’s pieces is a detailed look below at Arlington’s G3 Hanshin Cup.  The weekend also features a look at action from Indiana Downs with Nicolle Neulist tackling their sophomore features – the G2 Indiana Derby and G2 Indiana Oaks. ... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
July 15, 2015 at 9:36 pm
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2015 Delaware Handicap Preview

This weekend, Picks & Ponderings stays in the Midwest for a majority of its previews.  Among this week’s pieces is a detailed look below at Delaware Park’s G1 Delaware Handicap.  The weekend also features a look at action from Indiana Downs with Nicolle Neulist tackling their sophomore features – the G2 Indiana Derby and G2 Indiana... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
July 14, 2015 at 9:10 pm
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2015 Arlington Million Preview Day Stakes Recap

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS – Arlington International – and fans by extension – call it Million Preview Day.  It’s a mid-July card with four stakes each functioning as the local prepatory races to the marquee features of the Arlington International meet – the Arlington Million Festival of Racing.  Each of the stakes was contested on the turf,... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
July 11, 2015 at 8:25 pm
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